Saturday, December 13, 2008

Well Oscar truly is back! Just ask Joy, who is happily contemplating motherhood. I just hope she's better at it this time around. Sunrise was not so eager, I put her in with Oscar instead of Crosby, because I want to see if Oscar carries chocolate or not. Well, Sunrise wanted nothing of it. So, I'll give her more time and try again in a month. Likewise, her daughter Cadbury was not thrilled with Nino. Time will tell if that breeding took. She was somewhat more cooperative than last month, so maybe. Donna was all over Garritt like a wet puppy. I don't think Garritt ever truly connected, tho'. Why do rabbits only multiply like rabbits when you don't want them to?

So far, the Purina Fibre3 is working out well. I do think I'm seeing a bit more soft stools because of the slightly higher protein level. I'm also supplementing with Calf-Manna now, just a little, not quite a teaspoon. I was using Pen Pal's ShowBoost, but I became concerned with high kit mortality. I don't know why I suddenly saw so much bad mothering and lack of milk coming in, but the only thing that had changed back then was the supplement. I had awesome coats, but fewer babies that made it. So, when I changed feeds over, I also changed supplements. Maybe it will make a difference, maybe it won't.

Donna's coat right now is just stunning. The density on this doe is just amazing. If I can just get some babies from her...!!!

-----Special Note:This plan is the Environmental Group outline for the next four to eight years of the Obama Administration for the Natural Resources part of the Government.Interior, Agriculture, Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, Council on Environmental Quality and others.

The change you've been waiting for is just about to arrive.

And on Federal lands and property rights issues, the change looks like a return to the bad old days of Bill Clinton and Bruce Babbitt's War on the West.

Leading the Obama transition team for the Interior Department are David Hayes and John Leshy. Hayes was Deputy Secretary of the Interior under Secretary Babbitt in the Clinton Administration.

Hayes now works for the World Wildlife Fund. Leshy was Solicitor General of the Interior Department under Babbitt. Leshy has spent his whole career trying to get natural resource producers, especially small miners, off Federal lands.

Both Hayes and Leshy have been mentioned as on the list to be Obama's choice for Interior Secretary. Incredibly, some of the other names being mentioned are even worse. Most of them served in the Clinton Administration and most of them have worked for one of the radical preservationist groups.

-----Think back to what those years--1993 to 2001--were like when Clinton and Babbitt were waging their War on the West.

----- (Remember that now both the House and Senate are controlled by the Democrats, who are generally not supportive of you.In the 90’s Clinton had a Republican Senate and House during some of his term that provided some check and balance.The danger today to you is much greater with the Democrats in complete charge of the Presidency, House and Senate.)

During the Clinton years ----

Logging stopped in our National Forests;

Grazing permittees harassed and arrested;

Huge areas closed to entry under the General Mining Law;

Trails closed to off-roaders and snow-mobilers;

Thousands of miles of roads closed by the Roadless Rule;

Inholders were denied access to their own property and under threat of massive land acquisition; and

Hundreds of species were listed as endangered under the ESA.

Now, the same people who gave us the Roadless Rule are getting ready to come back. They didn't get everything locked up and closed down during the eight Clinton years largely because the Republicans won control of the House and Senate. But now Nancy Pelosi is Speaker of the House and Harry Reid is Senate Majority Leader.

The radical preservationists that staffed Babbitt's Interior Department want to finish what they started.

Lock it up.

Close it down.

No natural resource production allowed.

Recreation and hunting prohibited on millions of more acres.

Huge new Wilderness Areas.

Hundreds and hundreds more endangered species listings.

Even widespread condemnation of private inholdings is on their agenda.

The 26,000,000 acre National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) is a first class example of what they are going to try to do nationally.

Here's what you need to do to stop the second War on the West.

Deluge your Senators office (For the New Congress) to urge them not to approve John Leshy, David Hayes or any other Babbitt Interior Department Alumni as Secretary of Interior.You do not want to have to fight for survival in a new Obama War On The West.

Call any Senator at (202) 224-3121.

Ask for their e-mail and/or fax number.Send them a letter opposing the new War On The West.

Thursday, December 04, 2008

JG's Sunrise was bred to JG's Crosby, and delivered 7 babies today while I was at work. Sunrise is my most experienced doe, and I have never had a problem with her. Until now. She failed to pull enough wool, and her babies froze. I had one I almost revived, he was moving, but he just didn't have enough in him. A couple of the babies had been fed, that much was obvious. :(

Of the 7 babies, all were Tan (which tells me Crosby must be homozygous for Tan, because Sunrise is not). 1 black, 2 blue, 1 chocolate and 3 lilac. I FINALLY get lilac tans, and this happens. I could just cry.

So, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. I'll give her a few days and breed her back to Crosby. I want those lilac tans! I'll also move her inside.

Friday, November 28, 2008

This is so good, I had to post it. Obama supporters especially need to read this, and just in case you think this is anti-Obama, you're wrong. Obama is learning. I am actually getting a glimmer of hope that he may yet be a good president and not a puppet. We'll see.

The Teflon President-ElectLarry ElderThursday, November 27, 2008

"How long do you think it will take for the press to turn on Obama?" a friend asked.

"Eight years, if he's in that long," I told him. "Doesn't matter what happens. Either they'll blame Bush or 'circumstances beyond Obama's control' while writing articles about how heroically Obama handles them." It's already started.

Take President-elect Barack Obama's campaign narrative: a) Bush/McCain deregulation created our problems; b) the policies of President Clinton brought success and shared prosperity, c) President Bush's tax cuts unfairly enriched the rich, d) Obama intends to end posthaste the Iraq war, which "never should have been authorized and never should have been waged," and e) through Gitmo/unlawful wiretaps/illegal interrogation procedures, Bush "shredded" the Constitution.

Let's review.

Ever heard of the Glass-Steagall Act? President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose New Deal policies Obama wants to mirror, signed it into law to prevent commercial banks from engaging in investment banking. Investment banking, the kind of work done by Wall Street titans such as Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns, raises money to package and sell securities such as the now-discredited "toxic" mortgage and mortgage-backed derivatives. Clinton, with the backing of many Republicans, allowed the banking/investment wall to fall by signing the 1999 Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, repealing a large part of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933. This led to the business model of the now-troubled and recently bailed-out Citigroup, a model impossible but for the repeal of Glass-Steagall.

The Clinton administration, during its waning days, published a paper called "The Clinton Presidency: Historic Economic Growth." It listed among its achievements "Modernizing for the New Economy through Technology and Consensus Deregulation."

Clinton denies -- correctly -- that his deregulation policies caused the current financial meltdown. "I don't see that signing that bill had anything to do with the current crisis," he said. "Indeed, one of the things that has helped stabilize the current situation as much as it has is the purchase of Merrill Lynch by Bank of America, which was much smoother than it would have been if I hadn't signed that bill." Blaming deregulation on the financial crisis ignores a whole chain of events, most notably the decline in housing values. But that didn't stop candidate Obama from screaming "deregulation," even though Clinton deregulated the financial sector more than did Bush.

Candidate Obama maligned the Bush tax cuts for benefiting the rich. But President-elect Obama now intends to retain all the tax cuts, keeping the lower rates on the "rich" until they expire in 2011 -- a far cry from his campaign promises.

What about Bush's "stupid" Iraq war?

Obama now wants Bush's secretary of defense, Robert Gates, to stay. Huh? Gates supported the successful surge and the change in counterinsurgent strategy. Sen. Obama opposed the surge, attempted to stop it, and predicted failure. Candidate Obama promised to have combat troops out within a year or 16 months of his administration, but President Bush and the Iraqi government now tentatively agree to have all troops out by 2011, a timetable unfathomable but for Bush's courageous and ultimately successful decision to surge.

What about the Guantanamo Bay detainees, the "evil" interrogation techniques and "unlawful" wiretaps?

Obama -- actually faced with governing -- seems now to understand the complex legal questions Bush grappled with. Gitmo contains some really, really bad people, and Obama's security advisers now appreciate the complex legal and logistical problems. Where to move the detainees? Moving them onto American soil creates a possible target for terror attacks. And what legal rights and procedures apply in moving the detainees to America? As for the Bush surveillance program -- which allegedly "shredded" the Constitution -- Team Obama signals an intention to retain many, if not most, of these "dreaded" policies.

Eric Holder, Obama's choice for attorney general, served as deputy attorney general in the Clinton administration. He agreed with Bush on a very important policy -- one opposed by liberal icons like Al Gore. Holder, in a 2002 interview, agreed that terrorists must be interrogated so we can learn information on their cells or future plans, and that the Geneva Conventions limited the amount of information interrogators could get. Clearly they were not prisoners of war, said Holder, and were, therefore, not covered by the protections of the Geneva Conventions. However, argued Holder, if we want our own prisoners treated well, we should treat the detainees very humanely and in a manner consistent with the Geneva Conventions -- a position that Bush ultimately came to.

So where does this leave us?

Bush wasn't so evil after all. And running for and governing as president are two different things. But don't expect the Obama-loving media to notice or care.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

It smells great, the bunns like it, and it has a small pellet, perfect for young rabbits. It is also a fixed-formula pellet, which I insist upon. None of that "forage products" stuff. No corn.

However, it isn't cheap. $13.99 per 50# bag. I know, it could be worse. But I got a better deal with Blue Seal.

Oscar continues to do well, he's back to his lovable self. I don't know if he'll ever have quite the great condition that he used to, his backbone is still kinda prominent, but he is lively and happy, so I'm happy. The week after Thanksgiving he'll get his chance with Joy again.

So everyone is clipped down and growing new coats. I have a nice young French buck, courtesy of Celtic Hare, who has very nice depth and texture. Why do I have a French angora in my rabbitry? Why, to see if Donna carries chocolate. Garritt is a lilac tort, heavily line bred, and no albino in his background, nor have any popped up in related litters. I wanted a non-albino carrier so that I could properly evaluate Donna's genes without wondering what the white bunnies were underneath. Tort Giants or Germans who don't have a REW parent are very hard to find! Being the most recesive color, Garritt's babies will reflect the dam's genes. Here's hoping Donna has a chocolate gene! Of course, this means I'll have some super wooler bunnies available in the Spring. :) Whether or not she does carry chocolate, her next breeding will be to Nino. He was her original date, but I need to find out which, if any, of my purebreds carries chocolate. So, Nino is being paired with Cadbury. Oscar would have been bred to Sunrise, who carries chocolate but not albino, but he was ill. So Sunrise was bred to Crosby instead. This breeding will tell me whether Crosby is homozygous for Tan. So hopefully before the end of the year, I'll know what most of my purebreds carry - or don't. :)

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Oscar is eating normally again. :) At one point, he was eating nothing except what I could spoon into him, then a few days ago he was up to 2 cups, but he must be feeling back to his old self, he's cut back to a cup and a half, plus a big handful of hay every morning. He's filled out noticeably, I almost can't tell anything was ever wrong with him. I'm going to try breeding him with Joy, but I may take them both for a car ride first.

I honestly never thought this day would come. When I came back from Convention he was skeletal, he lay limp in my arms with is head screwed around into his side, he had pus coming out of his nose, and he had given up. I thank God for this miracle!!!

Monday, November 10, 2008

It has been touch-and-go, but Oscar is eating, and I switched him back to a water bottle rather than a bowl, and he is doing fine. He's still skinny, and not eating as much as I'd like, but he is eating, drinking, pooping, and peeing. :)

If all goes well, I'll try breeding hm again soon. :)

Louis had gone off-feed after I sheared him at Convention, he's back to eating like a horse. I tried breeding him to Joy, but she'd have nothing of it. She loves Oscar, so we'll try him when he gets more of his strength back. Louis has a couple of half-sisters who will be ready in early Spring, so he'll have his chance. Although I really do want a litter from him with Joy someday...

Meanwhile, my favorite feed store is closing, so good-bye Blue Seal. :( I'll have to switch to Purina, as there is a dealer right here in town, and he's ordering Fibre3 for me. The bunns ate it well at Convention, so the switch shouldn't be too hard.

Her thesis and the church they attended for 20 years tells a lot more about their true feelings about this country than any campaign promise.

I cannot bring myself to vote for someone who blames the previous administration for the price of gasoline, instead of the the (long awaited, encouraged, and anticipated) true cause, the success of capitalism in China and their resultant increased demand for energy.

I cannot bring myself to vote for someone who blames the previous adminstration for the mortgage crisis, while ignoring 1) his own, ACORN's, and his party's lawsuits against the mortgage industry for not giving out enough high-risk loans to people who can't afford a mortgage and should never have gotten one, and 2) the efforts of this administration to put the brakes on this crisis (which he voted against!):

I used to be a proud Democrat, but the party has fallen far from what it was, reflected in JFK's statement, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

Today's Democrats are nothing but closet Socialists who think that the government should be anything and everything to everyone. Socialism does not work. If you want to live under a Socialist .gov, then please move to Eurpoe and LEAVE MY COUNTRY ALONE!

Please do not vote for Obama! If you don't want to vote fr McCain, fine, but vote for anyone but Obama! His record in the Senate (when he even bothered to actually vote) does not reflect what he says.

Actions speak louder that words, folks, and this man will say anything to get elected, even if it flies in the face of every vote he has ever cast, and if elected, with a Democratic Congress, he'll be free to do as he pleases, taking our hard-earned money and "spreading the wealth around".

If you want to spread your wealth to people who don't deserve it, fine, but keep your hands off of mine!

Bear in mind - it is far easier to remedy mistakes of the past than it is to correct mistakes in current reasoning. OBAMA has the chance to appoint 4 or 5 Supreme Court Justices. Do you understand the ramifications of that? Do you understand that the US is the last bastion on free thought in the modern world? I'm not kidding, it truly is. Do you believe that people should have the right to govern themselves? Do you believe that you can make the best decisions for yourself and your family? If so, vote for the people (McCain/Palin) who trust you, rather than the people who think they can spend your hard-earned money better than you can.

Friday, October 31, 2008

I'm BB-AA-CC-KK ! The top pics are of some Giant Angora juniors, and the bottom pic is of the BOB senior buck.

JG's King Louis won his class - Intermediate Bucks. There was only one other rabbit in his class, but unlike Louis, that buck wasn't blowing his coat, so I feel fortunate that he did that well. The judge loved his body. The owner of the other intermediate buck bought JG's King George, Louis' half-brother. I also sold JG's Queen Victoria, George's sister, to my good friend Dustin. These are all descendants of King's Pewter, my fuzzy French Lop doe.

Meanwhile, Oscar is not doing well. I had shorn his top half a couple of weeks ago, and right before I left for Convention, I finished up his legs and tummy. He promptly went off feed, and continued while I was away. Bob did what he could, giving him papaya tablets and Quaker oats, but he was in bad shape when I got home. He appears to have developed wry neck and pneumonia. I have given him two shots of penicillin, one dose of ivermectin, and the wry neck has dissipated and he is on his feet again, but still not eating or drinking. I am giving him fluids with an eye dropper and spooning cooked oatmeal into him. Please say a prayer for him.

I am not surprised, but then I don't rely on the standard news media for my information. If you don't research what they say, you deserve what you get. Unfortunately, you saddle me with your choice, too. :<

One thing that astounds me is how free OBAMA wants to be with our money, yet he can't or won't "lift" his own brother out of poverty. Seems to me he should tend to his own before telling the rest of us that he can distribute our hard-earned wealth better than we can:

OBAMA misrepresents the current financial situation of this country and how we got there, and yet thinks he can tax us out of it. Amazing. I don't understand how anyone would vote for him over Hillary, and even less why any logical, educated person would vote for him over McCain (although I'm not all that crazy about mcCain, either).

But, when you don't question his ads or the media's favoritism and even outright lies about the economy and this administration, I guess he looks pretty good. Style over substance.

It was a busy weekend of grooming, shearing, and cleaning. All the bunny poop is out from under the cages and in the garden, where it will nourish next year's tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and PUMPKIN. :D

Louis was groomed within an inch of his life, lol! This weekend he and the others will get more of the same. Everyone is looking pretty good right now. Big coats drive me nuts, though, I want so badly to get those coats off and BREED those bunns! They'd be happy with that as well, lol!

I'll be sure to get pics of them at Convention, when they are all groomed out and looking their best. As soon as judging is over, off those coats will come, and next month - BABIES!!! :D

Joy will be permanently retired after Convention. She has earned her 3 legs, if I registered her she'd be a Grand Champion. Louis will be aimed at Nationals in the Spring, and then he will be retired as well. Their babies will make up my next show string.

I've downsized a great deal, and may downsize some more. I even though of giving up on the Tans, until I sheared this young lady:

This is JG's Cadbury, a chocolate otter doe, who gave me 8 ounces of prime at 7 months of age. Yep, I think i'm hanging onto her a while longer. :) She has a date coming up with Nino to see if he carries chocolate.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

... Sorry for all the politics, but as usual, the Republicans are doing a sucky job of getting the truth out, so somebody's gotta do it...

McCain Health Plan Puts Families in Charge: In another desperate attack, Barack Obama and Joe Biden have said that McCain health care tax credits to help families buy coverage "will go straight to the insurance company." Here is what they fail to mention – the credit goes to the insurance company that the American family chooses to get coverage from, anywhere in the nation. The power of choice lies with the family – not government bureaucrats or insurance companies. Ridiculing this line of strange attack, The Associated Press stated, "Of course it would, because it's meant to pay for insurance. That's like saying money for a car loan will go straight to the car dealer." Furthermore, any additional money left over after purchasing coverage will be controlled by the family in a portable health savings account.

OBAMA has an ad out critical of the attempt to allow younger citizens the right to invest part of their Social Security contributions in the Stock Market.

Except, if you see the ad on TV or listen to it on the radio, it leaves certain key facts out - that it was limited to YOUNGER citizens, who can afford more risk, and that it still only allowed them to invest PART of their contributions - the rest would safe (cough, cough) in the .gov coffers (pun intended).

Fact is, this is the best time ever to be investing in the Stock Market. The money you invest now is buying stocks at a fraction of their worth. I wish I had more cash on hand right now. If I did, you bet it would be buyng stocks.

This is the problem I have with OBAMA. He and his campaign deliberatly LIE. Yes, LIE. That and the fact that his platform changes with the polls... was against drilling, now he's all for it... was going to pull the troops from Iraq, not he acknowledges they need to stay a bit longer...

Friday, October 03, 2008

Watch this video through. Stop and take notes of the sub-titles and Google the subjects it tells you to. There is a lot of information packed into this video, and you owe it to yourself to watch it, check out what it says, and educate yourself about the true nature of the history of our country's current situation.

Once you've done all that, please pass it on to everyone you know, and ask them to do the same.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

I got this from a forum I belong to, and I thought you'd all enjoy it.

Don't know who wrote this story but it sure is funny. The more youread, the harder you'll laugh!!!

Jasper and the Uncooked Yeast Rolls

We have a fox terrier named Jasper. He came to us in the summer of 2001from the fox terrier rescue program. For those of you who areunfamiliar with this type of adoption, imagine taking in a 10 year oldchild whom you know nothing about and committing to doing your best tobe a good parent.

Like a child, the dog came with his own idiosyncrasies. He will onlysleep on the bed, on top of the covers, nuzzled as close to my face ashe can get without actually performing a French kiss on me. Lest youthink this is a bad case of 'no discipline', I should tell you thatPerry and I tried every means to break him of this habit includinglocking him in a separate bedroom for several nights. The new door costover $200. But I digress.

Five weeks ago we began remodeling our house. Although the cost of theproject is downright obnoxious, it was 20 years overdue AND it got meout of cooking Thanksgiving for family, extended family and a lot offriends that I like more than family most of the time. I was, however,assigned the task of preparing 124 of my famous yeast dinner rolls forthe two Th anksgiving feasts we did attend. I am still cursing theelectrician for getting the new oven hooked up so quickly. It was theonly appliance in the whole darn house that worked, thus the assignment.

I decided to cook the rolls Wednesday evening and reheat them Thursdaymorning. Since the kitchen was freshly painted you can imagine theodor. Not wanting the rolls to smell like Sherwin William's latex paint#586, I put the rolls on baking sheets and set them in the living roomto rise for 5 hours. After 3 hours, Perry and I decided to go out toeat, returning in about an hour.

An hour later the rolls were ready to go in the oven. It was 8:30p. m.. when I went to the living room to retrieve the pans, much to myshock one whole pan of 12 rolls was empty. I called out to Jasper andmy worst nightmare became a reality. He literally wobbled over to me.He looked like a combination of the Pillsbury dough boy and theMichelin Tire man wrapped up in fur. He groaned when he walked. I sweareven his cheeks were bloated.

I ran to the phone and called our vet. After a few seconds ofuproarious laughter, he told me the dog would probably be okay,however, I needed to give him Pepto Bismol every 2 hours for the restof the night. God only knows why I thought a dog would like PeptoBismol any more than my kids did when they were sick. Suffice to saythat by the time we went to bed the dog was black, white and pink. Hewas so bloated we had to lift him onto the bed for the night.

Naively thinking the dog would be all better by morning was very stupidon my part. We arose at 7:30 and as we always do first thing; put thedog out to relieve himself. Well, the damn dog was as drunk as a sailoron his first leave. He was running into walls, falling flat on his buttand most of the time when he was walking, his front half was going onedirection and the other half was either dragging the floor or headed 90degrees in another direction. He couldn't lift his leg to pee, so hewould just walk and pee at the same time. When he ran down the smallincline in our back yard he couldn't stop himself and nearly ended uprunning into the fence. His pupils were dilated and he was as dizzy asa loon.

I endured another few seconds of laughter from the vet (second callwithin 12 hours) before he explained that the yeast had fermented inhis belly and that he was indeed drunk. He assured me that, not unlikemost binges we humans go through, it would wear off after about 4 or 5hours and to keep giving him Pepto Bismol.

Afraid to leave him by himself in the house, Perry and I loaded him upand took him with us to my sister's house for the first Thanksgivingmeal of the day. My sister lives outside of Muskogee on a ranch, (10 to15 minute drive.) Rolls firmly secured in the trunk (124 less the 12 heate) and drunk dog leaning from the back seat onto the console of thecar between Perry and I, we took off.

Now I know you probably don't believe that dogs burp, but believe mewhen I say that after eating a tray of risen unbaked yeast rolls, DOGSWILL BURP. These burps were pure Old Charter. They would have matchedor beat any smell in a drunk tank at the police station. But that's notthe worst of it. Now he was beginning to fart and they smelled likebaked rolls. God strike me dead if I am not telling the truth!

We endured this for the entire trip to Karen's, thankful she didn'tlive any further away than she did.

Once Jasper was firmly placed in my sister's garage with the doorlocked, we finally sat down to enjoy our first Thanksgiving meal of theday. The dog was the topic of conversation all morning long andeveryone made trips to the garage to witness my drunk dog, each returningwith a tale of Jasper's latest endeavor to walk without running into something.

Of course, as the old adage goes, "what goes in must come out" andJasper was no exception. Granted if it had been me that had eaten 12risen, unbaked yeast rolls, you might as well have put a concrete blockup my behind, but alas a dog's digestive system is quite different fromyours or mine. I discovered this was a mixed blessing when we preparedto leave Karen's house . Having discovered his "packages" on the garagefloor, we loaded him up in the car so we could hose down the floor.

This was another naive decision on our part.

The blast of water from the hose hit the poop on the floor and the poopon the floor withstood the blast from the hose. It was like Portlandcement beginning to set up and cure.. We finally tried to remove it witha shovel. I (for some reason no one else was offering to help) had toget on my hands and knees with a coarse brush to get the remnants offof the floor. And as if this wasn't degrading enough, the damn dog inhis drunken state had walked through the poop and left paw prints allover the garage floor that had to be brushed too.

Well, by this time the dog was sobering up nicely so we took him homeand dropped him off before we left for our second Thanksgiving dinnerat Perry's sister's house. I am happy to report that as of today(Monday) the dog is back to normal both in size and temperament. He hashad a bath and is no longer tricolor. None the worse for wear I presume.

I am also happy to report that just this evening I found 2 risen unbakedyeast rolls hidden inside my closet door. It appears he must have cometo his senses after eating 10 of them but decided hiding 2 of them forlater would not be a bad idea.

Now, I'm doing research on the computer as to "How to clean unbakeddough from the Carpet."

Monday, September 22, 2008

A good time was had by all. Charlotte Schweikart swept the French Angora classes, and did very well with Jersey Woolies, taking BOB and BOS in show A, and BOS in show B, if I remember correctly. Giant Angora was split, Kathy Taylor took BOB and BOS in show A, and I got BOB (with Joy) and Kathy got BOS in show B. No Satin Angoras were shown, and only 3 English breeders showed, 2 Adult and 1 Youth.

My friends Phill and Judy Osborn earned a BIS with one of my "grandkids" at (I think) the Jersey Shores show. YYAAYY!!!!

Hopefully next weekend I can show at least one of my bucks at Blennerhasset in Marietta, OH. They've needed some work, the humidity has wreaked havoc on everyone's coat but Joy's. Can't wait to get some babies from her!

On another good note, I sheared Donna last weekend and she not only cooperated, she even gave me a bunny kiss. Maybe there's hope for her, afterall. :)

Sunday, September 07, 2008

So I tried to get a picture of me and the pumpkin. Those of you who have been in my backyard can appreciate what a challenge that is - I have the patch surrounded by trellised tomatoes and pole beans. So, Bob did his best and got a shot of us through the fence:

The estimated weight is about 450 pounds so far. :)

I spent the weekend at the Endless Mountains Fiber Festival, where I got to see quite a few friends. Endless Mountains is a small event, which is nice and easy on the feet. If you haven't been there, you need to make a point of going, none of the hassles of the huge events, but enough vendors to get what you want and actually be able to SPEND TIME TALKING WITH THEM.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

I went to an IAGARB shearing party near Columbus, OH yesterday to pick up this beautiful guy:

Meet Storm Warning Farm's El Nino II. He is a purebred German Angora buck who *might* carry chocolate! His sire, Samson's Danny Boy, produced chocolates. Now, what is even more interesting is, Samson's Donna is Danny Boy's littermate. Can you see the wheels turning in my mind, lol? I'd love to produce a purebred chocolate German Angora!!!

Also, Oscar, Danny Boy, and Donna all share the same sire. Now, suppose the chocolate gene came from him? I have totally changed my mind about a few things regarding my breeding program! I'm going to pursue chocolate with a vengence. :)

I also learned how to properly adjust the blades on my German Red Clippers. I'm going to test them out very soon. I also got to finally meet Nancy Ferron and Joyce Scallorn (Nino's breeder) as well as getting to talk with Susan Wiley again and I also met a nice lady who had traveled 10 1/2 hours just to get there. Her name escapes me at the moment, but I hope to run into her again sometime. All in all, a very worthwhile trip!

Sunday, August 17, 2008

The pumpkin is still growing like crazy, it is now well over 300 pounds. The picture really doesn't do it justice, it's much more impressive a sight in person. Still, it's behind where it should be. I think the cool nights we've been having, in the 50's, are slowing it down. If it doesn't warm up soon, I am going to try using a blanket and hot water bottles at night. Where is global warming when you need it? Below are also pics of an Aunt Ruby's German Green (green when ripe and yummy!) tomato and a pic of a typical haul from my garden. Mostly green beans and tomatoes, with the occasional pepper.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

The pumpkin is now almost 100" around! It weighs over 200 pounds now, and is gaining 10 - 20 pounds a night. That's a twin sized fitted sheet lying wadded up next to it. I keep it covered to keep the skin soft and pliable, so it is less prone to splitting as it grows.

I've been blanching and freezing green beans and tomatoes by the gallon lately. I just wish I had a bigger yard.

Tomorrow morning I'm going to start moving bunnies around and tattooing and weaning them. Fortunately it's been cool in the mornings, so I'll be able to wear long sleeves and not get hot. Long sleeves are your friend when tattooing bunnies. :)

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Yes, that is the same pumpkin, 5 days later.

And here is one of my hundreds of green tomatoes. :)

I'll have four chestnut babies from Yeungling and Oscar weaned and ready to go in a couple of weeks. They range in color from wild grey to copper. I'll get pictures of them when I tattoo them. I'll also have a chestnut from Antje and Lear available. The rest of the babies are either spoken for, or hanging around for further evaluation.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

During the hot summer months when I don't show my rabbits, I spend a lot of time in the garden, particularly the pumpkin patch. There's a lot that goes into growing a giant pumpkin. You need to get a soil test done to see what nutrients the soil needs, and amend it accordingly. You want to start your seeds inside and plant your Atlantic Giants in the soil as soon as you can, preferably early May in this part of the country. You need to protect them from frost and warm the soil to get them off to a good start. Once the plants start growing, you need to bury the vines so that they set down more roots, train the secondary vines so they don't overlap, and pinch off tertiary vines as you see them. When the female flowers form you need to protect them from heat, and you hand-pollinate them first thing in the morning before they open (put a baggie on them the night before to make sure nothing gets in them before you do), and then tie them shut. This way you know their pedigree, so to speak. ;) Keep pollinating female flowers as they mature. The one pumpkin you want to keep should ideally be 12 - 16 feet out on the main vine. Once they get basketball sized, you can be pretty sure they won't abort. Once you've picked your keeper, you cull the others and put some kind of protection under the keeper so that moles and other ne'er-do-wells can't attack your pumpkin from underneath. I use heavy, porous landscape fabric with 100 pounds of sand on top of it. The sand enables the pumpkin to slide over the fabric as it grows. You also want to bend the main vine so that the shoulders of your pumpkin don't rub against it as it grows, rubbing will damage both and possibly give fungus or bacteria a foothold. You need to prop the vine up so that it will rise with the pumpkin as it grows. You need to use systemic pesticides and/or spray regularly for pests (I use a homemade garlic and cayenne pepper spray, it works quite well). You need to feed the plant regularly, organic products seem to work best, and feed foliarly as well as drenching the soil. You also need to keep the pumpkin shaded, since the sun will toughen its skin, making it more prone to splitting. I use a twin-size fitted sheet.

It's an awful lot of work for something you aren't going to eat!

Looking at the picture above, realize that the leaf you see is almost two feet across, and I have 2 liter Pepsi bottles full of water (shaded by white cardboard) propping the vine up. That pumpkin has a 52" circumference! It is 15 days old. I'll keep you all posted with its progress. :)

Thursday, July 17, 2008

PLEASE READ AND PASS ON TO YOUR FRIENDS

ARBA ELECTIONS, 2008

AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL ARBA MEMBERS

CINDY WICKIZER FOR ARBA PRESIDENT

On July 15th ARBA ballots will be mailed to each voting member for a very important election. When you review the past two years of ARBA leadership, have your concerns been addressed with campaign promises that have been met over that time? Have you been able to directly phone the ARBA President and discuss those issues? Are you noticing a decline in the number of ARBA clubs, membership and show entries in your area? Have your concerns about our ARBA youth contests been addressed? Has the ARBA leadership provided you with positive solutions which will help you? Are you concerned with training new registrars and judges to have the skills to judge your rabbits and cavies? Are you concerned with national, state and local regulations that hinder our industry? Are you concerned about being able to fly your animals to the national convention or your national shows? Are you concerned that options may exist to promote the growth of the rabbit and cavy industry? Are you concerned that an open line of communication must exist between all officers and directors and the membership? Are you concerned about the financial stability of the ARBA at the present time? Are you concerned that the ARBA Constitution and By-Laws are being followed?

If your answer to any of these questions is YES, then perhaps it is time that you consider a vote in a positive direction for our association where people work together for our common goals. Let’s make a change with the only person that is running for the position of ARBA President who has proven their record at a local, state and national level. Let’s make a change with a President who believes in finding positive solutions for the benefit of all of our members. Several years ago, she had a network in place with other small stock breeders who are faced with the same common cause that face us in these changing times.

The person we are speaking about is of course CINDY WICKIZER, Washington for your next ARBA President.

Cindy has been a proven leader in the ARBA for a number of years as the only woman president. Her track record certainly speaks for itself. Please refer to her two full page ads in the May-June, 2008 issue of Domestic Rabbits magazine. We encourage you to also re-read her candidate profile in the same issue.

Cindy Wickizer is a proven leader that is not afraid to explore and try a new idea to strengthen the ARBA in these difficult times.

Cindy has been a proven leader in the ARBA in a variety of positions over the years. She has served as ARBA President. Her track record speaks for itself. Please refer to her two full page ads in the May-June 2008 issue of the Domestic Rabbit magazine. We encourage you to re-read her candidate profile in the same issue. For the past two years, Cindy has traveled gathering ideas which might help us as an association. She continues to raise rabbits. She is not afraid to try new ideas which will help strengthen the association. She knows that our association can make a difference in passing or defeating legislation. We all know that she does not have the power to reduce our fuel bills etc….

Please don’t set your ballot aside, spend that 42 cent stamp and make a change for the betterment of the American Rabbit Breeders Association.

CINDY WICKIZER FOR ARBA PRESIDENT

THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE

We also ask you to pass this message on to all your rabbit and cavy friends in your address book.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Additionally, Germany's state-sponsored medical plan used to be touted as an example of what socialized medicine could be. It has since become a massive budget nightmare, and has been extensively scaled back:

If you need a further example that government-sponsored health care is a bad idea, one only needs to look at the Veterans Administration. Regardless of the party in the White House, many veterans get the short shift and languish or even die for lack of care.

If our government can't or won't take care of its own veterans, what makes anyone think the rest of us would fare better?

Please do not vote for a candidate who thinks a bureaucracy can make better decisions than you and your doctor can.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

OK, I heard back from some more folks regarding the fiasco with the tattoo proposal I submitted to IAGARB. All supportive! And I also got an email from Alexis Woodbury. I will let it speak for itself:

Hello Janet,

I wanted to respond to you since I am the committee member who talked with Mr. Gehr at ARBA. The Standards Committee is aware that many IAGARB members also have memberships in ARBA, and appreciates your interest in participating in both organizations.

I personally am one of those members with dual membership and wanted ARBA's input on showing in both organizations. Most importantly, I felt it was crucial to inquire how IAGARB's tattoo procedure would relate to showing in ARBA. In order to make an informed decision, I requested current information directly from the ARBA.

The conversation with Mr. Gehr was both lengthy and informative. I am pleased to take this opportunity to report more of our discussion, and am confident that it will give you a clearer understanding of the reasons for our decision.

As was reported, and as you are well aware, Mr. Gehr did respond to showing in both organizations by saying rabbits are judged by phenotype. A German Angora or a Giant Angora that has German in its background can be shown as a Giant as long as it fits the ARBA Standard.

After I explained the IAGARB procedure of tattooing the member number in the right ear and the rabbit information in the left ear, Mr. Gehr said ARBA judges check the left ear for the tattoo, and both ears for conditions like ear mites--having a tattoo in the right ear would probably not be an issue, but the decision is left up to the judge's discretion and the judge has the final say.

Mr. Gehr then brought the issue of registering Germans as Giants into the conversation. He went on to discuss where ARBA would have serious concerns, including the concern with trying to register rabbits that have non-recognized breeds in their backgrounds.

He said for most ARBA members, the object of showing their rabbits is winning Best of Breed, Best in Show and Grand Champion. He added that in order to earn the designation of Grand Champion, the rabbit must first win enough leg slips and also be registered which requires the presentation of a pedigree. He stated that if a German Angora were shown as a Giant and won enough leg slips, it still could not be awarded Grand Champion status. If a non-recognized breed appears under any of the generations listed on a rabbit's pedigree, that rabbit can't be registered.

You stated that this last discussion regarding registration should not have had any bearing on your request and may have even clouded it. At the time, I felt it was important to share the entire conversation, including registration, with the Standards Committee as members of both ARBA and IAGARB venture to participate in activities offered by each organization.

Even though ARBA registration was included in our discussion concerning showing in both organizations, it was NOT the basis upon which the committee made a decision regarding your request to use a personal tattoo system on rabbits that are presented for IAGARB registration. What did influence our decision were the following points:

From its inception, IAGARB has been constitutionally mandated to follow as closely as possible procedures set in Germany--not just with breed standard and registration, but with tattooing as well. In Europe a rabbit's ear number can include between 8 to 11 characters. Because rabbit ears are thinner and more sensitive toward the tip of the ear, it was agreed that the potential stress of a long tattoo was too great a burden on one ear.

Over the years, most members have used the German method of tattooing that includes member number and rabbit information. For that reason, and consistency in our registration data base, the decision was made at the 2007 AGM to standardize the IAGARB tattoo procedure to a single system--member number in the right ear and rabbit information in the left. The wisdom of this decision has resulted in policy that benefits all IAGARB members by providing information we all can recognize.

All members are assigned a member number--no one else will be assigned that number. The rabbit information is equally important. Even when a pedigree isn't available, the rabbit's age can be determined from the tattoo. By using this system, all IAGARB members can easily determine the age of the rabbit and the breeder. Since member numbers are listed in the Membership Directory, ALL members can be easily recognized by their member number.

Finally, Mr. Gehr indicated that the IAGARB system of tattooing both ears shouldn't be a problem on ARBA show tables, but you have expressed a recent concern with multiple rabbits tattooed with the same rabbit info. In reviewing all scenarios, it is possible that more than one rabbit on the table could have the same tattoo in the left ear, but if the IAGARB system is properly followed, these rabbits won't have the same tattoo in the right ear, thus preventing any confusion.

Janet, everyone on the Standards Committee appreciated your thoughtful petition as it has allowed us to consider and review procedure as it relates to IAGARB members and their interests. We did take into consideration that you have used your personal tattoo system for a number of years, but in the best interest of IAGARB and all members, we stand by the tattoo procedure as ratified in 2007.

Hopefully this letter will help to clarify any misunderstanding.

Sincerely,

Alexis Woodbury

(Read and approved by the Standards Committee)

To which I replied:

Hi Alexis,

Thank you for your input. I just want to further clarify three things:

You stated:

"In reviewing all scenarios, it is possible that more than one rabbit on the table could have the same tattoo in the left ear, but if the IAGARB system is properly followed, these rabbits won't have the same tattoo in the right ear, thus preventing any confusion."

ARBA judges do not look in the right ear for ID purposes. In order for them to know to do so, the exhibitors of the animals would have to instruct them to do so, thus identifying themselves as the animal's owner, and this is frowned upon. ARBA tries to judge animals as anonymously as possible.

You also stated:

"He stated that if a German Angora were shown as a Giant and won enough leg slips, it still could not be awarded Grand Champion status. If a non-recognized breed appears under any of the generations listed on a rabbit's pedigree, that rabbit can't be registered."

This is true. If any recognizable German names are in the three generation pedigree, the animal should not be registered. However, once those animals are in the fourth generation, the issue is solved. At any rate, my reason for showing, at least at this point in time, is not for registering or gaining Grand Championships. Not that that has any bearing on anything. :)

Lastly, I would appreciate it if the next issue of the newsletter had a correction in it stating clearly that the proposal submitted did NOT involve registering Germans as Giants with ARBA.

Thanks again,

Janet

Now, some things just scream to be pointed out. First of all, the account of the proposal given in the newsletter said, "The petitioner requested that we make allowances for those people who wish to register their rabbits in both the ARBA and IAGARB systems." This is a clear distortion of my proposal, and belies what Alexis is claiming. Alexis also claims that the discussion of registration with ARBA had no bearing on the decision, yet that is not what the newsletter states. Further, the account in the newsletter is supposedly from the AGM Meeting Minutes. Now, most clubs I have been a member of make the reading of the minutes one of the last things they do before closing the meeting, and they are then voted on. So, everyone at that meeting apparently felt that the account in the minutes is accurate.

Alexis' claim does not jibe with the letter that was (belatedly) sent to me by Leslie and Charlene, either. So who is being honest here?

I also find it curious that IAGARB does buck their "constitutional mandate tofollow as closely as possible procedures set in Germany--not just with breed standard and registration, but with tattooing as well" when they want to. As Alexis points out, Germans only use one ear for tattoos, not both.

At any rate, when I have a Giant I want to submit for IAGARB testing, I'll have to use the IAGARB system. Fine, I'll deal with it.

Sunday, July 06, 2008

This is a photo of what I pulled out of a doe's nose this morning. She'd been sneezing, and started producing expectorate out of one nostril, and I was quite worried about her. This is a doe who just turned 4 years old and had never been sick a day in her life. I was about to give her her fourth dose of penicillin, and the fact that she was not improving also alarmed me. Visions of isolating the herd danced through my head. As I got ready to give her the shot, I spied something black sticking out of her nostril. I gently drew it out, and it turned out to be a 4 inch piece of hay! Well, that certainly explained things!

So if you have a solitary bunn who starts sneezing, don't be too quick to write them off.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Over the past few days I have thanked quite a few people for theirsupport. I wish they would have posted their support on the blog, butoh well. I'm still grateful for it. What surprised me is that only oneIAGARB member bothered to tell me they thought what went on at theannual meeting was wrong. I have not heard from any other membersof IAGARB, even those whom I contacted directly and asked for theirinput, have been dead silent. So I can only assume either they're tooembarrassed to respond, or they're OK with it. If so, they must beterribly misinformed, and from the correspondence I postedpreviously, it's pretty obvious *who* is spreading the disinformation.Even the information from Rich Gehr was slanted, because obviouslyfrom the answers, the wrong questions were asked. Not because thequestioner had an ulterior motive but because she had the wronginformation.

I was reluctant to address this, because certain people will take thispost as proof positive that they were right, but I feel it necessary topresent the facts, and then I will tell you what I have been doingthese past several years.

So let's start with a history of how the Giant Angora came into being.The animals approved by ARBA were not purebred Germans, but Germanhybrids. Why? Well, because the animals originally presented to ARBA as"Commercial Angora (German Type)" were purebred Germans, but they weresmall, and could easily be confused with English Angoras. Instead oftraining judges to determine the difference, ARBA asked Louise Walsh toimprove on the size and change the name. So, she bred in colored FrenchLops and Flemish Giants and the resulting hybrids passed the ARBAprocess.

Now ARBA does not judge genotype, or the actual genetic code of ananimal, it judge phenotype, or what the rabbit looks like. So, peoplewho did not have access to Louise's bloodlines went ahead andregistered purebred Germans who fit the standard as Giants. So yes,Virginia, Germans have been registered as Giants practically from DayOne. And there wasn't a darn thing wrong with it. ARBA did not say Giantshad to have French Lop and Flemish Giant bloodlines in them, they justhad to fit the standard. If you have 3 generations of animals bred tothe ARBA standard for that breed, you can register them as such. So ifyou start out with Germans, regardless if they are domestic orimported, after you have 3 generations of animals that you (or others)have bred to the Giant standard, you can register them as Giants.Now Leslie and I had this conversation at Rhinebeck last Fall. We alsodiscussed my compromise on the tattoo method, and she understoodperfectly that:

1) I wanted it for the purpose of clarity on ARBA SHOW TABLES becauseARBA DOES NOT LOOK IN THE RIGHT EAR OF THE RABBIT. You can put anIAGARB breeder number there, or SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALLIDOCIOUS,they don't care.

2) I am using my Germans to improve my Giants. I have only everregistered one Giant, and that was a doe I bought, and who had 2registered Giant Angora parents. I am not interested in registeringGermans as Giants.

So this is why I was shocked to read what I did in the latest issue ofthe IAGARB Newsletter. Mind you, I'd been warned about Leslie, but Ididn't think she had the cahunas to misrepresent my proposal soblatantly. I wish I had had the finances to attend the annual meetingand present my proposal myself, if I had, I think it would have gonequite differently. The Standards Committee still might have reached thesame decision, but at least they would have reached it based on factand not fiction.

Now, about my goal to have the first Giant registered with IAGARB.That's right, my goal is to have the first GIANT registered withIAGARB, NOT to have the first GERMAN registered with ARBA. And Leslieknows this, because I distinctly told her I have bought severalbona-fide Giants from several reputable breeders, Louise Walsh beingamong them, and bred German into those lines, for the sole purpose ofdeflecting any arguments that my Giants aren't truly Giants. But Idigress. I do indeed have purebred Germans, and they have been, so far,my best performers on the show table and in the nestbox. But I believethat will change VERY soon. I have some very promising GIANT babies,some of which will be hitting the show tables this Fall. I have threedistinct bloodlines in my herd right now, one of them pure Giant, oneof them pure German, and one Giant/German hybrids. The Giant/Germanhybrids will be registered as Giants as soon as the recognizable Germannames are off the pedigree PER ARBA RULES. It is this bloodline fromwhich I hope to produce a Giant which passes IAGARB's stringentregistration test.

While I'm clarifying things, there is something else I addressed inthis blog once before, and I'll address it again just so there is noconfusion. Contrary to statement made to some people by someone I usedto think was a friend, I have NEVER, EVER falsified a pedigree, or solda Giant as a German, or sold a German as a Giant. I have always FULLYDISCLOSED German heritage in my animals. Ask anyone who has boughtanimals from me. There's quite a few, in fact if any of you who havebought animals from me would chime in with comments, I'd reallyappreciate it. Not only have I never falsified a pedigree, I've nevergotten into trouble for it, either, with ANYONE.

I have said in the past, and I'll say it again, if someone buys ananimal *I bred*, and they want to use that animal to improve theirGiants, yes I will, *if asked* provide a pedigree that says that animalis a Giant Angora, even if the animal is a German or a German hybrid.How can I do that and not be misrepresenting the animal? Simple,remember where I referred to ARBA registration policy, "If you have 3generations of animals bred to the ARBA standard for that breed, youcan register them as such". As long as that animal is bred to the ARBAstandard, I can do this AS LONG AS I FULLY DISCLOSE TO THE BUYER THEANIMALS THAT HAVE TO BE BRED OFF THE PEDIGREE before progeny can beregistered with ARBA.

Got that?

In addition, *if* I were to use the IAGARB method of tattooing, itwould not in any way prevent me from registering animals as Giants.ARBA does not have any tattoo system except that a number unique tothat animal be in its left ear, ARBA doen not care what you put in theright ear, as I said above. As long as there is room somewhere on thatright ear for them to tattoo the registration mark or number, that'sall they care about. So by making the decision they did, the IAGARBStandards Committee accomplished nothing except to discourage peoplewho prefer to use the tattoo system they always have from trying toregister their rabbits with IAGARB. Not a very "inclusive" thing to do,is it?

Now, why haven't I registered any Giants except the one noted above?Because I keep finding fabulous Germans that I just can't live without,and I keep using them to improve both my Giants and my Germans. Why doI show Germans in ARBA shows as Giants? I keep showing my animalsbecause collecting those Grand Championship legs is proof positive thatI am breeding my animals to the Giant standard. If ARBA ever doesquestion the heritage of an animal I'm registering, all I have to do isflash the leg certificates of the animal's ancestors.

Now you may say, but the standards of the 2 breeds are so different!No, actually, they aren't. Here is a portion of a post I made some time ago aboutthis very subject:

One of the great things about going to Convention is the opportunity to meet breeders from other parts of the country and the world. Talking with Judy Le Marchant from England was informative and a blast! Judy judges rare breeds over there, and is a very smart cookie. One thing that really gets her going is the American way of posing rabbits. ARBA sates clearly how commercial breeds of rabbits should be posed, yet time after time I see judges smashing the poor things together to get that round topline. In spite of the fact that most, if not all, of the standards for these breeds specifically state there should be a *slight* rise from shoulder to hip, the judges want to see a hemisphere with ears. In order to get that, you need a rabbit with a longer back, because you're bending to get that profile, not a shorter back like the standards specify.

What's this got to do with Germans and Giants? I cannot tell you how many times I have heard that while the breeds may be similar, " A good Giant does not make a good German, and a good German does not make a good Giant." Why? Because supposedly the body type is so different. Poppycock!

First allow me to quote a small part of the Standard of Perfection for Giant Angoras:

Body--Points 10: The body is to be of commercial type, with good width and depth, tapering slightly from hindquarters to the shoulders. It is to be well balanced throughout. The flesh is to be firm and smooth, over a well nourished body.

Now how does this differ from the IAGARB standard? The general statement is as follows:

You should aim for a medium-sized rabbit of commercial type, with good length/depth/width ratio, firm flesh and noticeable furnishings on head, ears and feet.

A more detailed explanation follows:

The body is of medium length, cylindrical, of good depth and width for balance.

Aahh... *cylindrical*. How do you judge this? You stretch the rabbit out. I know this because I witnessed a German judging demonstration.Ever see a Himilayan in a normal pose? They don't look cylindrical at all until you stretch them. Neither does a German. Stretch a Giant out like that, they look cylindrical, too.

As I stated on the germanangora list, the difference between the breeds is not in the animals, it is in the standards for registration, and the culture of the two groups. German breeders breed primarily for wool production. They have very strict wool requirements for registration. Giant breeders breed for wool, too, since more wool means better showing, but they have very strict weight requirements to meet. Germans don't. Everything else is pretty much the same.

Even IAGARB admits it cannot tell a Giant from a German. So if youcan't tell the difference, does the difference really exist? I don'tthink so.

What do you think?

One final thought I want to leave you with, I am not posting this to disparage Leslie or IAGARB, I simply want people to know the truth of what went down and why. If you don't like what I've written, that's too bad, because it is all true, and I am not one to back down when someone twists my words into something they aren't. 'Nuff said. Please leave a comment. :)